1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to methods of environmental preservation and saving of natural resources (specifically water), in addition to preserving manufactured and raw materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a reusable bottle cap device providing identification of own bottle to a user, minimizing or eliminating waste associated with any unused portions of the contents therein and encouraging reuse of disposable drinking bottles, especially water bottles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many reusable bottle caps have been introduced heretofore also employing identification means. One early example was proposed by Brixious and was granted U.S. patent protection in 1961, entitled “Identifying Device,” U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,629.
According to Brixious, in bowling alleys, particularly during team play in league competition, spectators and players alike are present in large numbers. On such occasions, as well as similar gatherings, beverages such as soft drinks, beer and the like are purchased by both spectators and players who are constantly moving about, and during consumption thereof often set their drinks down at the most convenient location with the intention of returning thereto. Due to the large number of drinks that may be temporarily deposited in a relatively restricted area, and the fact that the players and spectators move about during the period of play, confusion as to the ownership of the various drinks often arises.
In more recent times, the dominant beverage consuming activity has become drinking water from bottles comprised of polyethylene or polyurethane plastic in such gatherings such as: company picnics, sporting events, hiking, camping, boating, industry and political conventions, trade shows, academic conferences, construction sites, professional groups, and a myriad of networking and social gatherings. The total bottled water consumption has grown vastly in our most recent history. According to the Bottled Water—Global Industry Guide, the market for bottled water grew by 7% in the year 2006 alone. Additionally, they provide a market forecast of an increase in consumption every year with a total increase of 51% by 2011 since the 2006 levels. This comes to approximately 174 billion liters of water consumed in a year from bottled water.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to minimize the waste associated with beverage (especially water) drinkers losing track of a beverage (especially water) bottle after the contents have been only partially or marginally consumed. Also, the practice of washing, rinsing, and reusing beverage (especially water) bottles is increasing in practice. Hence, it is an additional object of the present invention to promote this practice and therefore reduce non-biodegradable landfill waste and raw material consumption.
Not surprisingly, more recent efforts to gain patent protection on beverage identification means have emerged. Two such examples are U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,505, entitled “Color Coded Beverage Cap Collection with Permanent Passive Indicia Indicating Beverage Bottle User Identities,” to Moran; and U.S. Pub. Pat. App. No. 2009/0026104, entitled “Bottle-Cap Identification System,” disclosed by Cassidy. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a novel alternative design to those that have been proposed in the prior art that can be can be configured to different beverage (especially water) bottles having varied thread configurations and varied diameter openings at the top, through which the contents are delivered. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a design that may be inexpensively cast to a mold and mass produced and therefore comparatively cost effective. It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a bottle cap cover to protect the bottle cap from dirt and debris while not in use, thereby maintaining hygiene and thus maximizing the usable life of the present invention. It is still further noted that the present invention will be sufficiently sturdy to withstand repeated washings, thereby encouraging multiple uses.